_^ '' The Yale Center for Clinical Investigation (YCCI)was createdto provide a "home"for training the next generation of clinical investigators. Key programmatic goalsare to 1) attract highjy talented students and junior faculty across medicine, nursing, public health, biological sciences and biomedical engineering;and train them in the use of state-of-the-art researchtools;give them the skills to work within complexresearch teams;and support their professional development;and 2) fosterthe translation ofdisease-related discoveries fromthe laboratory into the community by: stimulating the creation of interdisciplinary teams; making available state-of-the-art core facilities andexpandedbiostatistical and bioinformaticsresources; establishing organizational and regulatory infrastructure for clinical studies;andforging a dynamicnew partnership that will integrate community leaders, physicians, and health centers. Participating institutions include the Schoolsof Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Graduate Programs in Biological and Biomedical Sciences. The Investigative Medicine program (IMP) is central to YCCI's education and training efforts. It is a unique doctoral programthat offers Ph.D. degreesin Health SciencesResearch to highly qualified M.D. fellows embarkingon careers in translational or clinical research. IMPwill be expandedwith CTSAsupport to include nursing, public health, biological sciences, and MD-PhD students. YCCI has also createda Society of YCCI Faculty Mentorswho willparticipate actively in the training and nurturing of the students andjunior faculty members identified as YCCIClinical Scholars. Pilot and feasibility (P&F) grants will be awarded for. 1)junior faculty;2) interdisciplinary translational teams;3) newtechnologies;and 4) community-basedprojects. YCCIwill cluster research cores aroundcommonthemes,including: imaging;specimenanalysis;physiology;cognition and behavior; drug development;andcell therapy. A newOffice of ResearchServices will provide facilities for "one-stop" shopping for regulatory, biostatistical, bioinformatics, recruitment and other support services.YCCI will have an officeto coordinatethe University's efforts to address health issuesfacing our community.The University's decision to immediately provide substantial supportto establish the YCCIreflects itsstrong commitment to an innovative redesign of our clinical andtranslational research activities.